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Thunder Bay - The office of the Northwester Ontario Sportsmen's Alliance(NOSA) is citing inconsistent moose management policy as one of the key reasons for yet another large cut to moose tags for the region. NOSA Executive Director John Kaplanis is blaming the Northwest Regional office of OMNRF for signing off on the decisions to cut tags in this manner.

NOSA is citing OMNRF's over estimated harvest calculations in the formula as one of the primary contributors to seeing tags reduced so drastically in many wildlife management units(WMU's), therefore as a "fail safe" measure OMNRF is simply knocking back the adult moose tag allocations to a level that basically brings moose hunting to a near stand still in many WMU's. For example in WMU 13 around the city of Thunder Bay, only one resident bull archery tag is being allocated for the 2018 fall moose hunting season. NOSA believes that tag reductions such as this are simply a demonstration on the part of OMNRF to "punish" moose hunters for not participating in a voluntary moose hunter "post card survey" in recent years.

NOSA Exec. Director John Kaplanis claims this to be a "juvenile" move on the part of OMNRF here in the region when in fact this sort of practice does not occur in other regions such as the Northeast or southern region of OMNRF. He says, "basically it's one guy in their office who decides that he's going to fudge the numbers just a little bit, but by doing so it is enough to change the outcomes in their formula for calculating tag allocations and therefore this has caused a net reduction of almost 1000 tags across the entire Northwest Region."

Normally in the past, when moose tags are being calculated in between years of Moose Aerial Inventories (MAIs) the tag allocations would be held at status quo for usually no more than a 3 year cycle to determine trends in population dynamics and to determine if harvest management strategies are working. NOSA claims that in the Northwest Region OMNRF appears to have adopted a management cycle from year to year and this is not consistent with how other regional jurisdictions within OMNRF are operating.

NOSA wishes to point out that OMNRF's moose management policies also contain direction for maintaining moose hunting opportunities in order to therefore recognize and support the value of the socio-economic side of moose hunting. Moose hunting is a major economic contributor to many northern communities. Kaplanis believes OMNRF is not doing more to protect and sustain moose hunting opportunities in the region and as a result, moose hunter confidence is down, participation by moose hunters in the "post card hunter survey" is also down because of this. Furthermore, the Fish and Wildlife fund known as the Special Purpose Account (SPA) is suffering because of the large numbers of moose hunters who have dropped out of the activity in the past 3 years. OMNRF does not seem to be concerned that it is losing millions of dollars in revenue as a result of this.

NOSA has previously requested that OMNRF conduct a full review of the moose management practices by the Northwest Regional office, but this has fallen on deaf ears within the confines of the current provincial government.

Every year, a number of natural resource violation cases go unsolved. They can be difficult to solve because they happen in remote areas where there are few eyewitnesses.Our conservation officers make over 170,000 contacts with citizens in the field each year. We rely on tips from the public, physical evidence and community support to help solve these cases. You can visit the website at: https://www.ontario.ca/page/solve-natural-resource-case#section-2 for more information. Help us solve natural resource violation cases. Call MNRF TIPS if you have any information at 1-877-847-7667.

Recent unsolved cases

Tip received on November 12, 2017

Occurrence number: RM17005896

Occurrence summary: Conservation officers received a tip from the public regarding two moose gut piles and an abandoned deer located in Ojibway Provincial Park. It was determined that the gut piles were related to two moose killed a short distance away on Highway 72. The moose were transported into the park where they were gutted and a whole deer was abandoned on Park property.

Occurrence summary:TheMNRFis investigating the discovery of a cow moose on November 5, 2015. The moose was shot and abandoned in Wildlife Management Unit 08 on the east side of the Weiseieno Road. The head of a bull moose was located nearby.

Location summary: Weiseieno Road, Wildlife Management Unit 08

October 28-October 30, 2017

Occurrence number: RM17005664

Occurrence summary: On October 24th, 2017,MNRFconservation officers discovered several parts of a single cow moose along an access road leading to a gravel pit located on the north side of Highway 66. These parts included some whole intact, and partial quarters with the hide on, the severed head and sawn off lower legs.

​As you are aware, the Draft Strategic Policy for Bait Management in Ontario is currently posted on the Environmental Registry (www.ebr.gov.on.ca) (#012-9791). The comment period is open from February 27-June 27, 2017. As part of the consultation period we have scheduled a number of information sessions across the province to explain and clarify what is being proposed and answer any questions that stakeholders may have on the draft policy. We will be having three types of sessions: 1) combined industry/stakeholder sessions; 2) Public open houses in the evenings; and 3) Indigenous sessions

The session dates and locations are as follows:

Stakeholder information sessions will be held in the following locations:

Location Date Time Address

Sudbury May 24 9am-12pm Lexington Hotel, 50 Brady St., Sudbury

Timmins May 25 2-5pm Ramada Inn, 1800 Riverside Dr., Timmins

Kingston May 29 2-5pm Ramada Kingston Hotel 33 Benson St., Kingston

London June 8 2-5pm Best Western Plus Lamplighter Inn, 591 Wellington Rd, South, London

In addition to the stakeholder information sessions, MNRF will also be providing public open houses, at the locations and times outlined below. These open house sessions will be relatively informal with MNRF staff being available for one-on-one discussions to answer any questions that individuals may have.

Once again we encourage all stakeholders to review this posting and either submit comments through the Environmental Registry (www.ebr.gov.on.ca; #012-9791).If you have any questions regarding the proposed policy or the provincial bait policy review process, please contact Scott Gibson (Senior Fisheries Biologist) at bait@ontario.ca or at 705-755-5395.

The Strategic Policy for Bait Management in Ontario is now on the Environmental Registry for a 120 day public review and comment period. This should make for good discussions. Here is one of the recommendations that is in the Policy.

"Anglers would be required to retain the receipt in their possession for two weeks in order to demonstrate that the bait was purchased within the respective BMZ within the previous two weeks. Anglers would be required to use or lawfully dispose of all commercially harvested bait within two weeks of purchase"

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is proposing the partial removal of a decades-old dam in Black Sturgeon River Provincial Park north of Thunder Bay.

It's part of a series of possible amendments to the park plan outlined in a draft environmental study report now open for public inspection.

The study was prepared by an independent consultant and assessed various options for rehabilitating walleye and lake sturgeon populations, while continuing to provide sea lamprey control.Camp 43 dam was built around 1960 for logging purposes, and played a role in keeping the lamprey population down in Lake Superior. However, it also cut off spawning areas for fish species such as walleye.

The Black Sturgeon River flows into Black Bay, which once had the largest population of walleye in Lake Superior, supporting what the government describes as "sizable" commercial and recreational fisheries. Due to a combination of factors, the walleye population collapsed in 1968.

A document filed with the province's Environmental Registry states that spawning habitat is limited in Black Bay, and that the remnant walleye stock spawns in the river. "Providing fish access to naturally occurring habitat is considered essential for the large scale rehabilitation of the native fish community in Black Bay and the Black Sturgeon River," the document notes.

The environmental study considered the effects of five alternatives and resulted in a preferred option.A public notice states that in addition to partially removing the dam, the preferred plan includes the construction of a "multipurpose" sea lamprey barrier farther upstream, at the outlet of Eskwanonwatin Lake.

A spokesperson for the MNRF told tbnewswatch.com that the 53-metre-long dam no longer meets dam safety requirements. It consists of three sluice gates controlled by stop logs, and a weir. The gates are situated between concrete piers.

Under the proposed changes, MNRF says the piers would remain in place but the sluiceway concrete aprons would be removed to open the river system to fish movement and to reconnect a large portion of the river system to Black Bay.

The report is available for public viewing at the Waverley and Brodie libraries and at the Nipigon library.

The MNRF will also hold two open houses, in Nipigon on January 31 at the Curling Club 3-7 pm and in Thunder Bay on February 2 at the Oliver Rd Community Centre 3-7 pm.

​Here is the EBR posting with link to the current Draft Environmental Study Report and appropriate contact information.

​The Northwestern Ontario Sportsmen’s Alliance will host its 2016 annual general membership meeting on June 22nd at the Westfort Prosvita Hall/Gore street at 700pm. The meeting is open to all “paid in full” members of NOSA. Specifics ofagenda items will be announced that evening, along with election of new directors.There will be an open forum for members and new business items can be introduced at this time. For further specifics on meeting details, please contact John Kaplanisvia email at: kaplanis@tbaytel.net or by text at 807-624-6143.

Attention moose stakeholders! Read below in the link. OMNR has apparently caved in on the proposed changes to allow wolves to be harvested without the purchase of a separate tag or seal. NOSA believes this decision is not in keeping with the intent of Phase II of the Moose Project where it has been identified that wolf predation has a limiting effect on moose population growth especially when moose are in decline. Make your views known to your local MPPs and our Minister of Nat. Resources Bill Mauro.https://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-…/displaynoticecontent.do…

As you will recall, Ontario launched the Moose Project in fall 2014 to consider new moose population objectives and explore potential management actions to address factors affecting moose populations such as harvest, predation, parasites, changing climate and habitat. In December 2015, a public notice was put out seeking comments on some proposals as part of Phase 2 of Moose Project for new moose population objectives and additional management actions to address factors affecting moose.

These proposals were being considered in addition to other actions the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) has taken in recent years, including those resulting from Phase 1 of Moose Project, to address harvest pressure on moose by reducing tags and seasons for provincially licensed moose hunters. These actions are intended to help stabilize and grow Ontario’s moose population.

MNRF appreciates the input and comments provided on these proposals and other matters related to moose management. The following decisions have been made regarding the most recent proposals:

Policy proposal #012-6074 proposed new moose population objectives for Wildlife Management Units across the province. Population objectives have been approved with minor modifications resulting from input received, and have been used to inform 2016 harvest planning.

Regulation posting #012-6073 proposed changes to wolf/coyote hunting regulations in northern Ontario to address concerns about the potential impact of wolves on moose populations. The decision has been made not to proceed with this proposal.Wolf and coyote hunting regulations will remain unchanged for Ontario, with hunters in northern and parts of central Ontario requiring a small game license and wolf/coyote game seal to hunt wolves and/or coyotes. The wolf/coyote game seal limit remains two per calendar year and all seal holders are still be required to report on their hunting activity and harvest.

Regulation posting #012-6075 proposed minor changes to the moose hunting season in southern Ontario to add a day and better align the season with the hunting season for calf moose in northern Ontario. This proposal has been approved but implementation will be delayed until fall 2017 to give hunters time to plan for the change.

Decision notices on these proposals can be viewed on the Environmental Registry (www.ontario.ca/environmentalregistry) by entering the proposal numbers listed above in the search box.

Ontario will be monitoring the effects of these changes on moose populations and considering additional actions over time based on the input received from discussions to this point. MNRF appreciates the participation and insights provided by stakeholders, tourist outfitters, Aboriginal groups and communities, and the general public as part of the Moose Project. We will continue to seek opportunities to share information and work together to pursue our common interests with respect to moose.

If you have any questions about moose and sharing of information in a local area we encourage you to contact your local district MNRF office. If you would like to discuss Ontario’s moose management policies, Moose Project or the changes resulting from it we invite you to contact Patrick Hubert in Wildlife Section at (705) 755-1932 or patrick.hubert@ontario.ca.